Entropy [5]

Now or Never

23
Now or Never

Thanagar

The day after his unexpected return to Thanagar, Alister found himself encroached in the base of a Resistance operation. An operation that could very well be his last if things didn't go as planned. He'd been a vigilante long enough to know things never go as planned.

"Does everyone understand the plan?" He asked the crowd of fifty-something resistance soldiers that remained.

"Could you explain it to us one last time Great One?" Asked a soldier.

Alister grimaced. He lost count of how many times he told them he wasn't a God. Either they didn't believe him, or they didn't care. In a matter of a day he'd become a symbol of hope for not only the Resistance, but the people in the city as well. Word traveled fast around Thanaldar.

"First, we smoke the Brontadons out of their hiding spots in the cave, being careful to lead them out of the passageway directly across from Force Shield B. From there, a team of soldiers will lead the Brontadons to Enndupar," Alister said as he traced his finger on the map.

"While that team draws fire from the invaders, the rest of the Resistance takes the Mine Mints. It's important that you wait until after all the Parademons have retreated to Enndupar, the plan won't work unless it's so."

"How will we find the Brontadons? We've been operating out of this cave for over a year and not a single man has come across one." Said one of the soldiers.

"I have," Said another. "I was on patrol in the caverns near the underground stream. I could hear the rumble of breath. I ran before I was spotted."

"You're a smart man, Galdor." Said Paran. "So we know the Brontadons are with us. Now our problem lies in smoking them out. If our presence in their caverns hasn't done that already, how could we do it now?" He asked his men.

"What's a Brontadon?" Asked Tulip. She sat crisscrossed on the floor and twirled a seed from the vines in her hand.

Alister thought of how he could explain it to her. "It's like a.. a reptile. A really, really big reptile. Think of a lizard, or a Komodo dragon." He said.

Tulip's eyes lit up. "Did you know lizards and Komodo dragons are related to snakes? Snakes hate lemongrass plants because of the citrusy smell." She said.

Alister hummed. "Is that so?" He asked.

The now 10 year-old child nodded. "Yup."

"Do you think you could grow some lemongrass for me, Tutu?" He asked her.

Tulip giggled. "Of course I can, Uncle Alister. Daddy taught me how to alter seed chemistry when I was, like, seven. Look."

Tulip shut her eyes and cupped her hands over the seed. Within a moment's time, the seed sprouted into a large bush of lemongrass. She opened her eyes and passed the plant to Alister.

"Can you make more? A lot more?" He asked.

Tulip nodded and plucked a blade from the bush. She grew multiple bushes of lemongrass. Tulip worked until a large pile of the plant was stacked near her feet.

"Thanks Tutu, you did great. I know your Dad will be so proud of the work you did." Alister said ruffling her hair.

Tulip's smile lit up the cave. She hugged Alister and continued to grow more plants.